Toshiba Beefs Up Strata CIX IP PBX

Today, Toshiba America Information Systems is announcing Release 4.0 for its Strata CIX IP PBX communications systems. Toshiba says the new release delivers "a more powerful processor an an expanded feature set."

Release 4.0 will now come standard in the CIX100, 200 and 670 systems and is available via processor upgrade in existing CIX100 and 670 systems and via software upgrade in existing CIX200 systems.

The new processors feature RISC technology; embedded DRAM with four times the memory, up from 16MB to 64MB; and a larger-capacity Secure Digital (SD) flash memory card (up from 64MB to 512MB). The new release offers improved remote upgrades and backups. New administration and maintenance features include enhanced traffic reporting and system alarms.

Of particular interest to call center operations, the new 4.0 release includes built-in Uniform Call Distribution (UCD) functionality, which, today's release says, "enables call flow to distribute more efficiently through a call center." The release adds the following details:

"UCD calls can be answered by the auto attendant, which prompts the caller to dial the correct UCD group number. Alternatively, UCD calls can ring directly to a UCD group. In either case, the call is then sent to the UCD agent or queue but never to a busy number.

"Calls sent to agents are managed by distributed hunt to find the next available agent. Callers in queue can receive music and announcements imbedded in one of the system's music-on-hold sources, and each UCD group can share or have a separate music source. Overflow timing is controlled by a unique overflow timer for each UCD group. Agent log-in and log-out buttons make it easy for agents to sign in and out of the system so that calls can be routed appropriately.

"The built-in UCD standard feature is ideal for basic call processing applications not requiring the more robust optional ACD and reporting capabilities available with Strata CIX systems."

According to today's announcement, Toshiba promises to "never leave a customer behind" -- thus the new Strata CIX Release 4.0 is compatible with the entire CIX family.

AB -- 12/6/05